Simple Stir-Fry with Rice Noodles and Tofu

Every so often I get a bee in my bonnet about a food I want to taste. Yesterday, I saw someone eating a delicious-smelling Chinese dish out of a take-out container and I knew right then that I would have to make a noodle stir-fry for dinner.

What I love about stir-frying is that you can toss just about anything in a wok and it will be tasty.

What I hate about stir-frying is that it entails so much precision cutting before you start cooking, and then constant attention from the cook once the frying starts. I would prefer not to be on my feet and focused on cooking for that long — hey, I have MS, you know?

But, sometimes you just gotta do it to get the foods you love made from trustworthy and acceptable ingredients.

I began by softening a package of Thai Kitchen Stir-Fry Rice Noodles in boiling water. These have two items on the ingredients list: rice, water. Perfect for a gluten-free meal.

While I prefer to use fresh Extra-firm tofu for stir-fries, the package I pulled out of the fridge expired two months ago — eeeuuww! Luckily, I like to keep a package or two of Mori-Nu Silken Extra-Firm Tofu in the pantry for just this kind of tofu emergency. I opened and squeezed the tofu, then sliced it into bite-sized rectangles. I set the rectangles in a dish and added a quick marinade with one of my faves: Annie’s Naturals Shiitake & Sesame Vinaigrette.

I sliced mushrooms, asparagus, carrots, and a half of a zucchini that was left over from a previous meal.

I heated up my cast iron wok and put in some Grapeseed Oil with a splash of sesame oil. I’ve been cooking more frequently with grapeseed oil these days instead of canola oil and have been really happy with most of the results, especially when frying. (It didn’t do so well in our Rice Krispie treats — they turned out too soggy.)

The sesame oil adds a depth of flavor, but cooking in sesame seed oil alone can be too intense. I like to mix it with another oil.

I rolled the tofu cubes on a plate covered with Sugar In The Raw and set them carefully in the wok. I flipped them as they carmelized, then transferred them to a waiting plate. I know that you’re supposed to cook the meat first when stir-frying, but I think next time I’ll cook the tofu last. I had to wipe little bits of burnt tofu out of the pot later on, which bugged me.

Carrots went in next, were fried, and replaced with asparagus in 1″ lengths, and then the zucchini and mushrooms.

Finally, I took the drained and rinsed noodles and added them to the wok with the fried tofu and some more of the Annie’s.

At the end, it needed just a dash of sea salt to bring out all the delicious flavors, and everyone cleaned their plates. A yummy meal that you can prepare much more quickly by pre-cutting the veggies (wish I had that kind of forethought or pre-planning capabilities!).